Abstract
Adiponectin, endothelin and nitric oxide (NO) are major regulators of vascular function. An imbalance of vasoactive factors contributes to the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. Various single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are considered to be risk factors for coronary heart disease. However, the molecular mechanisms of their associations with the components of endothelial dysfunction are poorly understood. In the present study, rs17366743, rs17300539, rs266729, rs182052 and rs2241766 SNPs of the adiponectin (ADIPOQ) gene and rs2070699, rs1800542 and rs1800543 SNPs of the endothelin-1 (EDN1) gene were genotyped in 477 patients with coronary heart disease who were subjected to coronary angiography, in order to determine the presence or absence of coronary atherosclerosis. The serum levels of adiponectin, endothelin and stable metabolites of NO, (nitrate and nitrite NOx), were assayed and their associations with the SNP genotypes and coronary lesions were calculated. The results indicated that rs17366743 of the ADIPOQ gene and rs2070699 and rs1800543 of the EDN1 gene were associated with the levels of NOx in women, which in turn was associated with cardiovascular mortality. In men, rs182052 and rs266729 of the ADIPOQ gene were associated with adiponectin levels, whereas rs17366743 of the ADIPOQ gene was associated with endothelin levels. Additionally, these SNPs were indirectly associated with the prevalence of coronary lesions in men. Therefore, the tested SNPs can be considered potential risk factors that lead to imbalance of vasoactive mediators in a gender-specific manner and contribute to the development of clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis.